Fighting For A Chance
by rhynith
Summary: I adore the Abby and Gibbs coupling, so here it is. This story is about their fomring relationship. I lvoe the coupling, even though he is older than her. Don't judge if you're only going to complain about that. I know already.
1. Chapter 1

"Abs, ya got anything for me?" Gibbs entered the room, her Caf-Pow in his hand.

Lately, they had been working on the murder of a mother and her twelve year-old son. It was hard on everyone, mostly because they had never dealt with a victim so young. Abbie now stood over her computer, gothic-clad hand out-stretched for the drink.

She had on her favorite red skirt, black stockings on underneath. Her steel-toed boots clunked against the cement floor of her lab, her white lab coat shifting as she did. Today, her hair was down, just scraping her shoulders. She wore one of her favorite band-tees and a spiked choker. Her wrists were lined with the usual spiked bracelets as well as some others.

"I have plenty," She smiled as he handed her the drink. She turned to him, her eyes sparkling with interest.

"You gonna tell me?" Gibbs teased, giving her one of his famous looks. She whirled back to the computer, punching a few keys.

"Have patience, Gibbs," She punched a few more keys, pulling up some files on the supposed father. "This man, he lied, Gibbs. He isn't the father, and in fact, nothing close." She punched one more key, pulling up a document with his real relation to the woman on it.

"He was the grandfather," stated Gibbs, his eyes landing on the computer screen.

"Yes. Two years ago, he tried for custody of the boy, saying that the mother was un-fit to take care of him. That ended with his loss, and the mother getting the money," Abbie looked to Gibbs expectantly, waiting for him to draw the conclusion.

"Grandfather wanted revenge,"

"And the boy got in the way before he could shoot the mother," Abbie's voice changed to a more saddened one. Gibbs gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, heading out the door.

"Good job, Abs," That left her smiling in her lab.

* * *

><p>"Boss, I have-"<p>

"Get your stuff, we're going," Gibbs grabbed his coat, slipping into it and grabbing his gun. His coffee found its way into his other hand.

"But boss, don't you want to-" McGee was stopped short by Gibbs walking past him. Ziva grabbed her coat, following Gibbs with a shrug towards McGee. Dinozzo walked in, right as Gibbs slapped him in the back of the head.

"Thanks for showing up to work, Dinozzo," Gibbs walked towards the elevator, casting an annoyed glance towards the rest of the group. Ziva and McGee laughed at Tony, following Gibbs almost immediately.

"Abbie gave us a lead," Gibbs stated once they were all inside the elevator. McGee looked to Gibbs with an inquisitive look.

"What lead?"

"The father, isn't the father," was all Gibbs said as he exited the elevator.

* * *

><p>Abbie paced her lab, fingers intertwining nervously. The music was cranked, blaring out most of the other world.<p>

The others had left hours ago, and not one word had been uttered as to where they were now. What could have happened? She knew that the grandfather could put up a fight, but she didn't know how much of a fight.

She had no doubt that the group could handle themselves, and she knew that Gibbs could, but… what was taking them hours to do?

"Abs!" A voice shouted over the blaring music. Abbie whirled, letting out a startled squeak. She came face to face with a frazzled Gibbs.

"Gibbs!" She flew towards him, wrapping her arms around him tightly. Gibbs let out a chuckle, wrapping his arms around her as well.

"What is this?" He shouted over the music again. Abbie whirled in the same instant, turning the music completely off.

"What? I couldn't hear you," She smiled, hugging him again.

"Nothing, Abs," Gibbs replied with a smile in his voice.

"So what happened? What happened to gramps?" Abbie smiled as Gibbs pulled away. She jumped up and down eagerly.

"We got him Abs. He confessed, we got him on two counts of murder," Gibbs said, smiling a little more than he should have. Abbie squeaked again, clapping her hands together.

"That's great!"

"Couldn't have done it without you," Gibbs leaned in, kissing her lightly on the cheek.

Somehow, this kiss was different than the other ones. A shiver ran down Abbie's spine, Gibbs lingering by her ear a second more.

"Thanks, Abs," He whispered.


	2. Endangered

~~Chapter Two~~

Abbie walked around her lab, feeling utterly bored. They hadn't had a case for nearly a week, and she was feeling as if she would go through withdrawal if this kept up.

"Abs," Gibbs walked in, folder in his hand. Abbie squeaked, rushing to his side.

"Whatcha got, Gibbs?" She asked eagerly, grabbing for the folder before he could set it down.

"There was a marine murdered at the dock the other day. We brought you the pictures of the walls, maybe you can find a finger print or two," Gibbs explained. Abbie nodded, skimming through the folder.

"So, you want me to find the impossible?" Abbie teased, twirling back around to her computer. She was punching away at the keys while Gibbs continued to talk.

"The marine's identity is being determined by Ducky, and they should have a full background for you by-"

"No need, Petty Officer James Cabell," Abbie whirled away from the computer, exposing her computer screen to Gibbs. Gibbs gave a chuckle, moving closer to read the screen.

"Sometimes I wonder how you do it," He mumbled, earning a giggle out of Abbie.

"Anyway," She bumped Gibbs by the hip, centering herself over her computer again. Gibbs rolled his eyes, putting one arm on either side of her and watching over her shoulder.

"James here was a naughty, naughty boy. Three arrests in the past year, all of them for drug smuggling and so on," Abbie punched a few more keys, pulling up the information about the drug busts.

"All for cocaine?" Gibbs looked over the report, waiting for Abbie to say something more.

"Y-yeah," Abbie blushed, just realizing the position they were in. She squirmed once, not enough for Gibbs to notice. She went back to work almost immediately. "All for cocaine except the most recent one. That one was for Meth," She punched a key, zeroing in on the last bust.

"Thanks Abs," Gibbs kissed her on the cheek, then producing her favorite drink as if out of thin air. Abbie laughed, snatching the drink from his hands and taking a large slurp.

* * *

><p>Gibbs walked down into the main room, coffee in one hand and a folder in the other. Below, his team was arguing pointlessly.<p>

"I'm telling you, that didn't happen until the second movie, Probie," Tony pointed with his pencil towards McGee who was standing by the giant screen, going through some videos.

"No, that was definitely the first," McGee stated bluntly, turning his attention back to the screen. Tony sat forward in his chair, hands folded together, an annoyed expression forming over his face.

"No, no. If you remember correctly-"

Gibbs gave a good whack to the back of Tony's head. The pencil fell from his hands, landing with a startled clack against the desk. Tony gave a startled huff, looking up towards Gibbs.

"Morning, Boss,"

"It was the first movie," Gibbs responded. McGee gave a triumphant grin to Tony, Tony gave a sad sigh.

"Boss, Abbie called up and told us who the man was. With that in mind, I was able to track his last few days of actions," McGee punched a button on the remote, pulling up bills and withdrawals made by James Cabell. Gibbs looked them over half-heartedly.

Ziva came around the corner, a doughnut in her mouth and five or six folders in her hands. Her hair looked as though something had decided to make a nest in it.

"What happened, Zi? Wake up on the wrong side of the bed?" Tony got up, going over to poke the pencil into Ziva's hair. She yanked away suddenly, the pencil getting caught in her hair. It dangled by her ear, tied tightly into her hair. She spat the doughnut out at Tony.

"For your information Tony, I was doing my work," She yanked the pencil out of her hair, flinging it at his head. "Unlike some people," She smirked as he tried to duck from the flying object.

"Whatcha got Ziva?" Gibbs moved to her side, lifting the folders from her arms and setting them down.

"James here was involved in multiple officer shootings. They were all disguised as that, I should say," She pulled one of the folders, opening it up and showing it to Gibbs.

"Hmm, nice work Ziva," He reached over to her desk, handing her a hair brush. She gave him a smile.

"Thank you Gibbs," She walked off towards the bathrooms, determined on taming the wild mass of hair.

"C'mon, grab your gear, we're headed out," Gibbs pointed to Tony, saying that McGee should stay and work on the computer.

With that, Tony and Gibbs were out the door.

* * *

><p>Abbie rushed up the stairs, nearly running into McGee.<p>

"Timmy! Please tell me Gibbs didn't leave yet!" She grabbed McGee by the shoulders, shaking him a few times.

"They just headed out, why? What's wrong?" McGee looked her in the eyes, a sense of panic overtaking his.

"I found something, something bad…." She trailed off, chewing her fingernails anxiously. She started to pace, her head lowered as she looked to the ground.

"Care to share?" The time, McGee grabbed her shoulders, pulling her to a stop.

"We have to go after them," She stated. She grabbed McGee's hand and pulling him towards the elevator.

"Abbie, I'm not so sure that this is a good idea-"

"And if they got hurt because we couldn't call them? Then what? What if Tony or Gibbs, or both of them, were hurt because we stayed in the office?" Abbie looked up into his eyes, hers full of a fiery anger.

"Fine, fine. But at least let me call first," McGee pulled his cell out as Abbie punched the buttons on the elevator.

If Gibbs didn't answer the phone, Abbie didn't know what she would do.


	3. Explosion

~~Chapter Three~~

"I told you they wouldn't answer!" Abbie shouted at McGee, running towards his car in the parking garage. McGee was a few strides ahead of her, keys in hand. He cast a worried look over his shoulders.

"I'm sorry Abs, I didn't think Gibbs would've left his phone in the office," McGee stated as he reached the car. He slid the keys in, opening the door and getting it started before Abbie could even blink. She slid into the passenger seat, banging on the dashboard as she did so.

"Go McGee! I hardly think seatbelts matter right now!" She slammed her hands against the back of his chair in an urgent motion.

"I'm going, I'm going," He said.

"So, Gibbs, you thought you could catch me?" A voice shouted out across the way, behind some boxes. Gibbs was crouched behind some crates as well, Tony on the opposite side of the hallways. Tony met Gibbs' gaze, looking for any kind of signal.

"You killed a man, you will be caught," Gibbs shouted back. The man laughed, tossing a few random pebbles across the floor.

"Don't tease me Gibbs, otherwise bad things will happen," The man let out a cackling laugh.

Gibbs met eyes with Tony, giving him a silent signal with his hands. He gestured a bit towards the man, then moving his gun as if to signal shooting. Tony nodded, getting the idea.

Gibbs leaned forward, ready to peak his head around the corner on cue. Tony did the same.

Gibbs moved his fingers down from three, two…

One…

"You better drive faster Timmy!" McGee looked over to the frantic Abbie, nodding in silent agreement. He was too scared to argue with her right now.

"We're only a few block away Abs," McGee wanted to ask her what was so bad, but he couldn't find the nerve to.

"McGee, this guy has bombs strapped to every part of the building he's in. If he shoots his gun, he has some signal that goes out and blows the whole place up," Abbie spoke in a flat tone, as if the realization had finally set in. McGee let out a startled gasp.

"You couldn't have mentioned that earlier Abbie?" McGee gave an extra push to the gas pedal.

They rounded to corner to come face to face with a squad of police cars and ambulances. Before McGee could stop the car, Abbie was out the door. She ran to the first ambulance, asking where Gibbs was. The man only looked at her, confused for a second.

She turned with an angry huff, storming off inside the building.

"Ma'am, this is a lock down, no one has the right to go in or out of the building," a policeman stopped her with a hand to her chest.

"What do you mean? Like a hostage situation?" Abbie's voice was now frantic.

"Yes, there are two NCIS agents-"

"I know! I'm their forensic scientist!" She practically shouted in the man's face, her eyes full of anger. The man backed away a few steps.

"Did you know that if he shoots, this whole building goes down? He has bombs strapped to all four walls," She backed away, placing a hand on her temples and sighing. McGee came up behind her, rubbing her shoulders a little. He showed the man his badge, the man giving him a sympathetic look.

"No, miss, we didn't know that Miss," The man ran over to a few other officers, relaying the information.

"Timmy…. What if they don't make it?"

"Gibbs never gives up without a fight, much less some tactic," McGee said in a reassuring tone towards her.

Gibbs felt a stab of pain shoot through his abdomen. He fell to the ground, the crackling noise of another gun going off behind him. Tony ran to his side, lifting him up onto one shoulder. The walls started to crumble around them, fire blazing behind them.

"Gibbs, you have to walk," Tony practically yelled the words in his ear. Gibbs found his feet, dragging them under him. His eyesight started to blur, but somehow he kept a grip on Tony.

They exited the building, Tony diving them both for cover as the rest of it exploded behind their backs.

The pain in Gibbs' abdomen almost doubled as they fell towards the asphalt.

"Gibbs! Gibbs! Oh my god!" Abbie ran towards them as she saw them run out of the exploding building. She reached them right as Tony regained his senses, calling for help.

"Abbie, what the hell are you doing here?" He looked up to her as she bent over Gibbs.

"Is he going to be okay? Is he okay?" She met eyes with Tony, hers as frantic as anything could be. She seemed to have all of hell in her eyes.

"Abbie, he was shot and nearly exploded," Tony stopped when he saw the tears at the brinks of her eyes. "But he's Gibbs, I'm sure he'll pull trough."

Abbie broke down, laying her head on Gibbs' chest, the tears overflowing.

She had been too late, and now Gibbs was shot because of her.

She had been too late.


	4. Stolen Kisses

~~Chapter Four~~

It had been three hours since the surgery. The nurses had just left the room, leaving Gibbs looking pitiful on the bed. Abbie and the others were told only one could go in at a time, and everyone automatically pointed to Abbie.

She was now crouched at the side of the bed, holding Gibbs' hand tightly. The white room surrounded her, giving her an odd, enclosed feeling. She lowered her head, placing it against his arm. Her hair covered over his arm, the contrast the only thing she could seem to think about.

"Gibbs, if you can hear me..." Abbie trailed off, lifting her head and standing. Her hand stayed on his, holding it even tighter.

"If you can hear me, don't you dare give up," She bent down, looking at his peaceful face.

The age seemed to vanish from him, leaving him the young man he seemed to be. His gray-white hair was in his face, just enough to shade one of his eyes. Abbie reached up with her other hand, moving it out of the way for him.

"Don't you ever stop fighting, because I need you," Abbie kept stroking his forehead, looking down into his gorgeous face. Her pale thumb contrasted oddly to his summer-tan skin.

She was suddenly reminded of all the special times they had had together. Every single kiss on the cheek, every simple hug, every precious moment in her life. They all seemed to flood back into her mind as she stared at his face, peaceful and quiet.

She remembered her fist ever encounter with him, her first ever case with him. She remembered the first kiss on the cheek, the first gifted Caf Pow. She remembered the first hug, the first ever debate.

She remembered every simple detail about the way he walked, the way he talked, how he got everyone to do what he wanted. She remembered everything about him.

She remembered the last words he had said to her this morning.

"_Thanks Abs,"_

And then he had left.

He left without her even warning him.

She felt a stab of guilt deep within her stomach at that simple thought.

"I need you to make me laugh, I need you to make me focus," Abbie leaned in, giving him a simple kiss on the cheek. The flashes of her attempted kisses overtook her brain.

She always tried to get him back for kissing her on the cheek, but he was always faster. This time, he couldn't do anything about it.

She lowered her lips, hovering an inch above his own.

"I love you, my White Fox,"

Their lips connected, and she felt for once whole. She brushed her lips closer to his, pulling away with a satisfied breath.

She had stolen a kiss back. She had finally gotten one in return.

She bent down again, brushing her lips against his again softly. The taste of him was staggering, and she felt her knees go wobbly.

She wanted nothing more than to stay like this forever. She wanted to be with him forever. She also wanted to know why he had this affect on her.

_How _he had this affect on her. Even when he was asleep.

Her lips pressed against his, she felt the first tear trickle down her cheek.


	5. Regrets To Tell

~Chapter Five~

Gibbs awoke to a white room. His blurry vision focused on the ceiling light, his eyes dilating painfully. Beside him, he could feel his hand being held by someone else's

He rolled his head over, his neck feeling like a rusty wheel that refuses to turn. His vision landed on Abby, asleep in the chair. She was curled up in a ball, Bert lying in her lap. She wore her favorite silk skull pajamas, her hair let loose around her face. Her hand was intertwined tightly with his, bending her arm over her head.

Not able to help himself, he squeezed her hand gently. She stirred just enough to give a small hum.

"Abs," He choked out, his voice hoarse. That got her full attention.

She rolled over out of the chair, falling to the ground. She landed on Bert, getting a protesting squeak out of the poor stuffed animal. She pushed herself up onto her elbows.

"Gibbs?" She kneeled, peering over the edge of the bed at him.

"Hey, Abs," He said, her eyes widening.

"Gibbs! You're awake!" She squealed, then standing and grabbing his hand again. He gave a small chuckle, startled by how much that hurt. He stopped almost immediately.

"Oh my god! Never do that again!" Abby bent over carefully, wrapping her arms around him. He smiled, wrapping his arms loosely around her.

"Sorry, Abs," He gave her a kiss on the cheek, surprised to see some blush.

"You scared me," She buried her head against his neck, tightening her arms around him.

Gibbs looked at her for a second, thinking of her as a crushed child. He tightened his arms as well, as much as he could with all of the cords.

"Abby…" He trailed off, lifting on of his hands and running it through her hair.

She pulled away, wrapping her hands and his together. She sat by his knees, looking to him with sad eyes.

"Tony broke a few bones, but other than that, he's fine. They kept him for a few days, but then left him go," She talked to him as though she knew he was going to ask her. When she told him, his face contorted.

"What's wrong? Are you in pain?" She leaned forward, looking to him anxiously.

"No, you said a few days…?" He looked to her with question in his eyes.

"Yeah, you've been out for three days… I think," She put on a pondering look, as if she forgot as well.

Shocked, Gibbs looked to her with a little more concern.

"What about the others? Ziva? McGee?"

"Ziva was ticked off that McGee and I didn't take her with us when we went-"

"You went near that building?" Gibbs looked angry now.

"You didn't have your cell phone, and I was the only one who knew there were bombs in the building-"

"You knew?"

"Yes, and I tried to stop you before you left, but I was too late," She lowered her head, looking to their intertwined hands. "This is all my fault," She whispered.

Gibbs looked to her, watching her hurt. He wished that he could hold her close, tell her everything would be okay. All that would result in would be severe pain for him.

"Abs, it's not your fault," He moved hands up to cup her face.

"Never, _ever, _Say it was our fault," She looked up to him through her eyelashes.

"But if I had just been sooner…" She trailed off, a tear streaking down her cheek.

"Abby," She didn't look at him. "Abby, look at me," She obeyed, another tear going down her cheek.

"Don't ever say that. I should have waited, should have checked," Gibbs gave her an apologetic look.

"But, Gibbs-"

"Abby," This time his eyes and voice were stern.

"I'm sorry!" She blurted out, the tears coming full force. She laid her head on his chest, holding him as close as she could. He held her with just as much strength, feeling like he had almost lost her.

He felt a new obligation towards her. That obligation, that goal, was to make sure that she would never have to cry again. He would never be the cause of her tears, ever again.


	6. Welcome Home Kiss

~~Chapter Six~~

Abby hung the last string of bright paper across the dining room. Other balloons were in the corners, confetti ready to fall at a trigger McGee had rigged. She walked outside, looking to the front of the house happily. A giant sign read:

_**Welcome Home Gibbs and Tony!**_

Tony had had to go back to the hospital after a few of his ribs had decided to give him trouble. Gibbs and Tony were discharged today and _everyone _wanted to throw a party. So, Abby and McGee were now setting up while Ziva and the Director went to go get the two men.

Most of the guests had already arrived, hiding in the living room. The plan was that when Ziva wheeled Gibbs around the corner, McGee would push a button and confetti would rain down as everyone shouted "Surprise."

They all knew Gibbs hated parties, so that was why some of the men wore bullet-proof vests. Abby couldn't help but laugh at the thought of Gibbs in a wheelchair, shooting someone.

She walked back inside, looking over the hung decorations one last time before joining the others.

"Ziva, just tell me-" Ziva slapped a hand over Tony's eyes.

"No! I told you no!" Ziva shouted back playfully. Beside her, Gibbs was blindfolded as the Director pushed him.

"Ziva I don't see why-" Gibbs began.

"There is no why. Just wait a moment and you will see," Ziva snapped at Gibbs.

Ziva and the director led the two towards the house, pulling off the blindfolds when they could see the sign.

"Wow, a sign. How sweet," Tony stated sarcastically to Ziva. Gibbs, however, wasn't sarcastic.

"Thank you, Ziva," He said. Shocked, Ziva whirled to look down to him.

"_You _said thank you?" Gibbs thought she meant to sound startled or astonished, but instead it came out as a question.

"Yes, I did Ziva," Gibbs chuckled.

Abby heard Ziva talking o Tony as they came in the door. She turned around, giving a silent signal to the others.

"Ziva, can't I just go to _my _house?" Tony whined and Abby could see him pulling on her shirt sleeve.

"What, you don't like my house, Dinozzo?" Gibbs joked. Tony glared slightly.

Ziva rounded the corner, turning on the dining room lights. Simultaneously, McGee sent the confetti down, and everyone jumped out.

"Surprise!" A chorus of voices rang out. Tony took a startled step back, grabbing his sides as he laughed. Gibbs jumped a little in his chair, looking at all the faces, and then chuckling.

"What did you rig my house up with this time McGee?" Everyone laughed.

Gibbs and Tony were shuffled through the crowd, being hugged and talked to. Abby finally managed to get to them, plopping right down in Gibbs' lap jokingly.

"Welcome home Gibbs!" Abby beamed. Gibbs chuckled, wrapping his arms around her.

"Thanks, Abs," He kissed her cheek, Abby leaning in to whisper in his ear.

"Nice act of being surprised," Abby reached up, giving him a slight _thump _behind the ear.. Gibbs rolled his eyes, but said nothing more.

"What, no hug for me?" Tony outstretched his arms expectantly, his face turned up to the ceiling and a false frown plastered on it. Abby giggled, throwing herself into his arms as well.

"Welcome home Tony," She reached up and smacked him on the back of the head. That got even Gibbs to full-out laugh.

Abby backed out of the hug with Tony, going to mingle with Gibbs. She stayed by his side pretty much through the whole party. When it was finally late enough for most of the guests to call it a night, they all field out until it was only Abby and Gibbs left in the dining room. Ziva, Tony, McGee, Palmer and Ducky were in the other room, saying their goodbyes and getting some last hugs. Abby took this chance to sit back down in Gibbs' lap.

"Thank you, for putting up with the party," Abby smiled at him, wrapping her arms around his neck. He smiled, or more accurately, scowled.

"Only for you,. Abs," He said. Abby was taken aback for a second, blushing at his words.

Without another word, Gibbs was only a few inches away from her. Their lips grazed, his breath flooding into her face. She felt herself blush even more.

"Gibbs," She whispered, unable to find her voice.

He leaned in, their lips connecting softly. He stopped, as if waiting for her to give him some sort of sign. Abby pulled herself closer, kissing him a little bit on her own.

The kiss deepened, both of them kissing more forcefully than at first. When Gibbs finally pulled away, Abby felt like she was floating on cloud nine.

"Welcome home," She whispered, leaning in for another kiss.


	7. Court Date

~~Chapter Seven~~

Abby cranked her music, punching a few keys on the keyboard. She pulled up a few pictures of the most recent case she was working on. It was a long dead case, but she loved to work on it in her spare time.

She swayed her hips from side to side to the beat of the music. Her black skirt shifted, making the chains attached to it jangled as she did. She had on black leggings, red boots going to mid-calf. Her white lab coat fell just past her waist, showing off the red tube top she had on underneath.

She leaned closer, squinting towards the monitor.

The music blared into Gibbs' ears as he walked in, spotting Abby at her computer. Today, Gibbs was dressed a little more formal, his hair neater than the regular scruffiness. Abby had heard that Tony and he had to go to court over the James Cabell case today.

"Abs!" He shouted. She remained oblivious, just swaying to her music. He smiled, walking up behind her. He wrapped his arms around her waist, placing a kiss at the base of her neck.

Abby jumped as his arms came around her waist, turning as he kissed her neck.

"Gibbs!" she scolded playfully. She reached for the remote, turning off the music.

"Hey," He gave her a full kiss on the mouth. Abby nearly melted, wrapping her arms around his neck as her knees buckled.

"Hey," she whispered when he pulled away. She pulled herself closer by tightening her arms around his neck.

"What are you looking at?" His eyes flitted from hers to the computer for a second.

"Some cold case. I like working on it when I'm bored," She smiled. Gibbs gave her a kiss to the forehead.

"I have to go to court, so does Tony. Ziva and McGee are coming as well, do you want to?"

"I'm not exactly dressed for court, Gibbs," Abby giggled.

"True, but we have time if you need to change," He replied.

Abby looked at him with reluctance in her eyes. There was also a bit of curiosity and eagerness. He could tell she was torn between her two options.

"Fine, but maybe we should go separately? Ziva could come with me, so that I could change in the car or something," She knew he had wanted to go with her, but she thought it would become too obvious then. It would be awkward.

"Sounds good," She could see the same emotions in his eyes. He gave her another quick kiss before he left.

Abby and Ziva made it to court just in time. Abby was now wearing a toned down black blouse with a black frilly skirt. In the corner of the skirt was a white skull. She had toned down her makeup as well, now only wearing a dark red lipstick with hardly any eyeliner.

Ziva was wearing her normal work clothes, a black jacket over a white top with some black pants.

Gibbs and Tony were already up in the stands, reciting what had happened. It was basically a follow-up on an officer-involved shooting. There were not that many people, outside of the jury. Most of the people there were NCIS agents.

"So what you're saying is that your forensic scientist withheld information?" The judge looked to Gibbs with intent in his eyes.

"No…What?" Even Gibbs looked startled. Abby straightened in her chair, looking between the two men. All of the others watched Abby and Gibbs.

"Did she withhold information?"

"She's right there, ask her yourself," At that cue, Abby stood shyly.

"Ah, Miss Sciuto," The judge looked to her as she rose.

"Judge," She replied in a small voice.

"So what do you know about all of this?"

"Gibbs came down in the morning to give me what he had on the case so far, and I gave him what he needed about James. Then he left, but I didn't know where he went. So, I kept working with stuff about the guy who was working with James, and that was when I found out about the bombs," Abby lowered her gaze.

"So I ran upstairs and only found Timmy there. He told me that they, Tony and Gibbs, had already left. He tried to call Gibbs, but he couldn't get through. So, instead we drove there," Abby looked up at Gibbs with regret in her eyes.

"But I was too later, _we_, were too late,"

The judge leaned back in his chair, startle eyes landing on Abby.

"I see," was all he said. Abby took that chance to take a seat, but her eyes never left Gibbs'.

"I think we have enough information," The judge said, banging his hammer against the desk.


	8. Anticipation

~~Chapter Eight~~

"Gibbs!" Abby caught up with him as she exited the room.

"Abby," He turned, stopping for her to catch up. She stopped by is side, grabbing his hand.

"What's going to happen?" Her eyes met his, scared and looking like and innocent child.

"I don't know, but they have no right to drag you into this," He pulled her into a hug, wrapping his arms around her waist and resting his head on top of hers. She wrapped her arms securely around his back.

"Abby! Where did you go!" Ziva called out across the hall. Abby and Gibbs pulled a part at the same time.

"Over here! I found Gibbs!" Abby stuck her arms up into the air, waving them until Ziva spotted her. Gibbs and Abby spotted Ziva with Tony, Palmer, Ducky, and McGee in tow behind her.

"When are we going to tell them?" Abby whispered towards Gibbs.

"Whenever they want to know," Was his only response.

They were all back at the office, in the main room where all the desks were. Abby was sitting on top of Gibbs' desk, Gibbs leaning against it beside her. Tony and Ziva were over by Ziva's desk, so that left McGee by his.

"What do you think that judge was getting at, Gibbs?" Ziva looked to him curiously.

"He was probably trying to frame someone else, trying to blame someone,"

"Yes, but why?"

"Think about it Zi," Tony interjected, standing so the others could see him, "He's a judge. His job is to give a verdict on something, _anything_, and with us," He gestured to Gibbs and himself, "Being innocent really isn't an option. He also probably isn't one of the judges to proclaim innocent."

Abby lowered her head, sliding back on the desk so that she could sit Indian style, folding her legs and wrapping her hands in knots in the fabric of her skirt.

"I hate being the cause for everything," She whispered. She saw Gibbs give her a stern look out of the corner of her eye.

"Abs, you aren't the cause for anything," McGee spoke up, giving her a sympathetic look.

"Yes I am. I shouldn't have gone, he'll probably twist my words around somehow, make it so I look guilty," She looked to McGee, sadness in her eyes.

"Give me a break, Abs!" McGee sounded exasperated. All this time, Abby watched as Gibbs said nothing. She watched as he simply looked to the floor, his hands in fists on the side of the desk.

Abby reached over, placing her hand over his. Her leg and the folds of her skirt hid the action, but she knew someone would catch on.

Under her hand, Gibbs' softened. He gave her a sideways glance before intertwining his fingers with hers. Abby gave his hand a small squeeze, catching his eyes and giving a reassuring look.

Across the room, Abby saw Ziva take in a sharp breath. Abby met Ziva's eyes, showing everything in that one glance. She showed just how much Gibbs meant to her, just how much she cared. All the emotions seemed to flood out, and it was then that she realized just how much she cared. Just how much she had changed

Ziva's eyes widened, but she only gave a small nod. Abby relaxed, squeezing Gibbs' hand again.

Her thoughts drifted back towards Gibbs and her. What happened if everyone found out? Would it be okay?

"Sorry, Timmy," She muttered, looking back to McGee.

Abby tore off the normal clothes, slipping into her silk skull pajamas. She walked to her bathroom, wiping all the makeup off of her face. She looked up, coming face-to-face with the mirror.

She looked to her tired face, seeing the lines under her eyes. Her hair was a tangled mess, lying limply on her shoulder. She looked like hell.

Walking out of her bathroom, she took the few steps towards her bed. She flopped down uselessly, pulling Bert to her chest, then pulling the covers to her chin.

The only thing on her mind was Gibbs.

He was all she thought about, all she wanted to think about. Now that Ziva knew _something _was up, how much longer could this last? How long could they hold on to what they had? Would it even be okay for them to date in work? How much longer would any of this be okay?

Abby's cell phone went off, causing her to snap from her thoughts. She gave a slight groan, moving from her remarkably comfy spot in bed to bend and get the cell phone off the nightstand.

"Hello?" She mumbled, the exhaustion of the day finally catching up.

"Ms. Sciuto, we have the verdict," Boomed the familiar voice of the judge. Suddenly, Abby was all too alert.


	9. Abby and Gibbs Christmas Special

Abby and Gibbs Christmas special

"Gibbs, look, look!" Abby jumped out of bed, pointing outside eagerly. Gibbs slouched up, propping himself up on his elbows. Outside his window was a wonderland of snow. The frost had already begun to spread its way up his window, cracking in places as ice formed. Abby smiled wider, drawing a bat in the frosty windowpane.

"Abs, its snow," Gibbs stated simply, getting up and walking over to stand behind her. He wrapped his arms around her waist, Abby laying her head against his chest.

"I know! That's the point Gibbs!" She squealed, turning around in his arms. She gave him a small peck on the lips, then flitting to the closet.

Although quite a few people still did not know about their relationship, she still had insisted that they live together. And so, she had packed her coffin and come here. Gibbs was all too willing, but at the same time, she wondered. She wanted to know what others thought when they saw her walking out of his house at 6 in the morning to go to work, him following shortly after her. They had made a deal of riding separately, hoping that would down the chances of getting in trouble.

The only issue she had was the director. How would he react to his hard-core Gibbs going soft? Or for that matter, dating someone so much younger than he was.

As she dressed in her normal Goth apparel, she couldn't help but wonder these things. She knew that Ziva and Tony and made their relationship public a few months ago, and he had been fine with that. He had only said that it better not get in the way of their work. So far, they were just the same as they had always been at work, if cutting back on their gas expenses by carpooling.

She walked out of the room to see Gibbs pulling his NCIS shirt over his head. He turned around, flashing her a small smile.

"What's wrong, Abs?" He closed the distance between them, stroking a piece of black hair out of her face.

"Nothing, just thinking about tomorrow," She flashed him her dazzling smile, twirling on her heels as she exited the room and headed for the kitchen, "Do you want coffee?"

Gibbs followed her, giving her an affirmative nod towards the coffee. She tinkled a laugh, skipping to the kitchen and getting to the brewing.

Now it was his turn to think. He knew something was up with her, but he also knew not to badger her too much. He knew not to badger her at all sometimes. But how was he going to make their first Christmas together special? He had to plan something, and something soon, judging by how excited she was just about snow.

* * *

><p>Abby walked into her lab, smiling at all the decorations she and Gibbs had put up the day before. It had been a few weeks since the first snowfall and now all of D.C was covered with the light frosting. She was ecstatic about the whole thing, and tomorrow was going to be Christmas. She already had it all planned out for Gibbs, and she could tell he had been doing a few things of his own as well. She didn't ask, and he did a really good job of hiding the details. She was still trying to guess what he could have possibly gotten her, made her, anything. But, she was at a loss.<p>

She turned to her stereo, cranking the music as loud as it would go. She had found this band that had made Christmas songs into a rock-ish mixture. She loved the fact that now she could rock out without being told that Christmas music is just supposed to be light and frilly. Now all she had to do was wrap Gibbs's present.

She walked over to her computer desk, grabbed some hidden wrapping paper, and snuck around the corner to get the present.

She looked down at the object, completely thrilled with what she had decided to do. She was happy that she had found this, made this, and was certain that he would love it.

She set to work, wrapping Reindeer around the object. The music cranking in her ears, she still kept a wary eye out for the ever-sneaky Gibbs.

* * *

><p>He knew she would love them. He knew that she would have nothing like them, and that she would probably wear them all the time.<p>

Or so he hoped. He hoped that he had done the right thing in getting this for her. As he walked out of the store, he stopped next door and grabbed some bows for the present. They had to be black, naturally, but around this time, those were hard to find. They were all green, red, or sometimes even blue. But none of them had black. So, he had been scouring the stores for them in the past few weeks, but still had found nothing.

He hoped that this would be the store, or otherwise, he would have to go home without the bow. And that meant a less festive Abby, which in turn meant a less happy Gibbs. He knew her moods, and how to handle them.

"Sir, were you the one looking for a black bow?" The clerk called out suddenly. He turned, giving her a nod.

"Yes, why?" she motioned for him to follow her, reaching down under the counter and revealing a simple black bow. Gibbs cracked a grateful smirk.

"This came in yesterday, and I thought I remembered someone wanting one. So, I thought I would save it," She gave him a rosy cheeked smile, her red lips stretching in a friendly motion.

"Thank you, you just saved a life," Gibbs joked. She tinkled a laugh, ringing him up and sending him on his way.

Now he was going to survive the holidays.

So long as she liked her present.

* * *

><p>"Gibbs!" Abby shot up from bed, grabbing his arm as she did. Gibbs woke up with a chuckle, groggily following her downstairs to the tree. He walked down to find Tony, Ziva, McGee, Ducky, Palmer and the director staring back at him.<p>

"Damn, need to start locking my door," He joked, earning a hearty round of laughter.

Abby was bouncing up and down as she handed out all the presents, then watching as they all opened the ones from her. Gibbs noticed how she had not handed the one that she had gotten him out. She had winked to him, signaling that she wanted it to be a secret. Gibbs understood, wanting the exact same for his present.

So, as they watched the others faces as they opened gifts and exchanged them, they just smiled. Ziva and tony were by far the cutest, at least to Abby. They kissed after they got their presents from each other, getting a comical gagging noise from McGee. Gibbs and Tony both reached up to slap him at the same time. That got everyone laughing.

After a few hours had passed, he could see Abby getting antsy. Gibbs grabbed her and the presents, walking back upstairs. Abby was smiling from ear to ear as he led her to the bedroom again.

Once inside, he handed her her package. She smiled at the mere sight of the black bow. She shook her head, handing him his package. He looked to her confusedly.

"You have to open first," She smiled, shoving the package into his hands. Sighing in defeat, he tore at the back of the paper.

At first, he saw only a black leather book. She urged him to open it, watching his face when he did.

Inside was a picture of his daughter and wife. He felt a lump form in his throat as he turned each page. They contained most of his precious photos. She had probably gone digging when he was out late with a case. Knowing her, she had found them within seconds.

As he flipped through the pages, they got more and more recent. They were soon filled with pictures of his most recent wife, which he wasn't too happy about. She urged him to turn the next page, and there they were.

It was a picture taken by Abby while she was getting a piggyback from him. She had her arms wrapped around his neck, a giant smile plastered on her face. He had a smile too, stretching his neck to be in the picture. He remembered that day as if it were yesterday. They had laughed so hard that they lay in bed for another hour just because their sides hurt.

"Abby…"

"That's for us to continue, you know… Whenever we want," She gave him a smile, happy when he wrapped her in a hug.

"Thanks Abs," He kissed her forehead, setting the book on the bed. He turned to her, gesturing to the box.

"Your turn," He smiled. She giggled, pulling off the paper in seconds.

The instant she laid eyes on the jewelry box, she eyed him suspiciously. He laughed, nudging her on.

She opened the box to come face to face with a skull pair of earrings. However, these were not just your run-of-the-mill silver ones. They were black and encrusted with black diamonds. She let out a happy squeal, standing on her tiptoes and planting a kiss on his lips.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer, making the kiss last longer. She let out a slight moan, shifting her arms so that they wrapped around his neck. He smiled against her lips, pulling away from the kiss.

"Merry Christmas, Abs," He whispered, kissing her forehead.

"Merry Christmas to you too, Gibbs," She smiled, leaning up for another kiss.

_**Author's Note: Thanks to some amazing readers out there, I have decided I will try to make this story work. This is sort of a starter, getting into the holiday spirit and everything. So, I hoped you liked it, and I really hope to be able to actually write some more of this story.**_

_**Merry Christmas from me to you, and thanks for Reading and Reviewing!**_

_**~~Merry Christmas from all of NCIS**_


	10. Sorry Isn't In My Vocabulary

_**Author's Note: sorry this has been so long! I literalaly had no idea what to write, and then one of my friends mentioned this... So, I hope that you all like it and don't kill me for the dramatic change I am about to bring to NCIS**_

NCIS – Sorry Isn't in My Vocabulary.

"Abby, calm down," Dinozzo was desperately trying to hold the caffeinated forensic scientist to the ground. Abby let out a squeal as she began to protest even more.

"I can't Dinozzo. They finally come back today," Abby turned to her computer, completely escaping the grip the agent had on her arms. Tony gave a defeated sigh, coming to stand by her.

"When are you going to tell Gibbs?" Tony asked, effectively getting Abby to stop bouncing. Her permanent grin was wiped from her face as she realized the seriousness of his question. She turned away from the machine and locked eyes with him.

"You know he already knows something is up. You know that he has some secret way of knowing," She replied, nervously chewing on her black lip. Tony smiled, rubbing a hand on her shoulder.

"It'll be okay. I mean, he's Gibbs. He'll work it out," Tony smiled, trying to get her to feel a little better. It seemed that when he was trying to get her to stop bouncing, and once she finally did, he wanted the hyper her back. He tilted his head off to the side, a curious aura taking over him.

"Why did you tell me and not Ziva?" He asked with a small, evil glare her way. She laughed, whirling back towards her computer and machines.

"Because, you were the first to pick up at 1 in the morning," She smiled, grabbing her stereo remote and cranking her music. Tony placed his hands at either side of his head, attempting to save himself from a headache. He walked back further into her lab, finding the small silent room she had once locked Palmer and his Father-in-law in. Abby laughed when he waved from the other side, a grin on his face suggesting that he could no longer hear the music.

Abby looked back to the computer, shocked still and silent when the results started beeping across her screen. She dropped the Caf-Pow she had been holding, the cherry liquid splattering all over the floor. Tony rushed out, turning off the music as he did so.

"What is it Abs?" Tony came to her side, his own eyes landing on her monitor. His jaw dropped, his eyes flitting to her.

"What am I going to do, Tony?" Abby asked. She wrapped her arms around herself, leaning against the agent for support. Tony wrapped his arms around the scientist, laying his head on top of hers.

"It'll be okay, Abs. I'm sure of it," Tony offered. He hated seeing her this worried, but he knew that this was something serious and no words of comfort were going to cover it.

* * *

><p>"Abs, where are you?" Gibbs came around the corner and walked into Abby's lab. She was under her table, Bert cradled close to her chest and an absolutely somber look on her face. Gibbs walked over to her, crouching in front of her.<p>

"Abs, what's wrong?" He reached over and stroked an idle piece of hair out of her face.

"Nothing. It's nothing," She whispered, trying to convince herself more than him. He eyed her suspiciously, not believing a word she said.

"I know that's a lie, Abs," Gibbs crawled under the table with her, pulling her into his arms with a kiss to her forehead. She cuddled closer, dumping Bert so that she could wrap her arms around him.

"Gibbs, I just don't know what to tell you. I don't know what to say, or what to do," She nuzzled her head against his neck, hiding her face from him. He rubbed her shoulder idly with his thumb, his other hand doing the same to her thigh.

"Well, what's wrong? Just tell me, and maybe I can help," Gibbs looked down to her, worried even further when she didn't even look up. He heard her sigh, her shoulders sagging with the action.

"GibbsI'mpregnantandIdon'tknowwhattodosohelpmeplease!" Came a slurred word from her mouth. Gibbs was taken aback by how fast it was, trying desperately to dissect all the words.

"Whoa, slow down Abs," Gibbs pushed her away from him, cradling her face in his hands and looking her in the eyes. "Can you repeat that, slower this time?" The smile on his face gave Abby some hope, but she still felt dread deep inside of her.

"I'm pregnant. You're the father." Her eyes flitted to him as his hands fell limply into his lap.

"W-What?" Gibbs looked to be completely shocked. His eyes were wide, his eyebrows raised.

"I-I told Tony I shouldn't have told you!" She got up from under the table, running towards the door. Gibbs wrapped his arms around her waist, stopping both of them right by the door.

"Abs, I'm not upset. Why would you think that telling me was a bad thing?" He turned her in his arms, locking eyes with her.

"I don't know. I just thought that I couldn't handle it. I thought that you couldn't, that I mean… I don't know. I just…I just don't know," Abby threw herself against his chest as she started weeping. Gibbs held her closer, kissing her forehead and whispering the words she never thought she would hear from him.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry," He just kept chanting them; occasionally her name would be mixed in. Abby started to cry harder when that happened, not entirely sure why she was crying then.

This was supposed to be a good moment. This was supposed to make the couple happy, not have the woman end up crying hysterically into the man's arms. This was supposed to be a good time full of squeals and cheers.

But Abby was crying. She was ruining it.

"I'm sorry Gibbs. I shouldn't have ever even told you, I-"

Gibbs kissed her, silencing her as she wrapped her arms around his neck. He pulled her close, and as they kissed he wiped away all of her tears.

"Abs, this is one of the best things that could have happened to me. This means that I get to spend the rest of eternity with you, and whoever is in there," He stroked her stomach under her black t-shirt. She beamed up at him, her smile spreading from ear to ear.

"What? You're serious? You really want to spend your life with me and our kid?" Abby knotted her hands in his hair as she spoke, never wanting to let him go.

"Yes, absolutely," Gibbs nodded, kissing her forehead and hugging her close.

"I'm so sorry-"

"Shh, Sorry isn't in my vocabulary," Gibbs smiled, pulling her into another kiss.

So this was how it was going to be? This was going to be his little piece of heaven on earth? Abby was having his child, and now he knew just how much that meant to him. He knew just how much he missed his family. But somehow, this had made him ready to move on. This had made him able to forgive and forget.

Abby was the one for him. And he knew that their child was going to something special, and definitely unique.


	11. Congrats

Chapter Eleven – Congrats

Abby ran into her office, a giant grin on her face. Although she had been banned from caf-pow for the baby's sake, it seemed one didn't need it to stay as powered as she needed to be. Already, her body was hyper of its' own free will. Although, another part of her mind was saying that it was the withdrawal symptoms already kicking in.

She moved to her desk, clicking away at random programs. She had no idea what she was doing, but her body seemed to want her to do whatever it was. It was hard to argue with a hyper mind. She started cranking music at that thought, oblivious to anything else around her.

"Abs!" A familiar voice called over the music, causing her to turn it off and whirl around.

"GibbsGibbsGibbs!" She slurred three of his name into one long word as she ran over to him, throwing herself into his arms. He attempted to keep his balance, outstretching his arm to avoid spilling the coffee he had in one hand.

"Whoa, Abs," He gasped, wrapping his free arm instinctively around her waist. She laughed, burying her head close to his.

"Morning!" She giggled, pulling away to look at him happily. He smiled back, pulling her in for a tender kiss.

"Why are you so wound up?" He asked, his eyes scanning her with love. She smiled, her eyes flitting to his coffee. He saw her lick her lips, much like a fox going after its' prey. He rolled his eyes slightly, prepared to fend off any of her pleading to get his coffee.

"Gibbs," She whined his name, leaning against him as she pleaded and had obviously caught onto his determination to say no. "I just want a little," She begged, pulling even closer. He sighed, putting the coffee down on the table and wrapped both arms around her.

"Abs, you know you can't have caffeine," He chided, but that only got a disappointed moan out of her.

"But Gibbs," She whined again, her puppy-dog eyes meeting his. He sighed, cupping her face with one hand. His blue eyes met hers with a strong 'no' written clearly in their liquid pools, to which Abby's hazel ones grew even wider.

"Abs," He scolded again, getting a defeated sigh out of her. She pulled away, leaning against the table in defeat. She looked away from his captivating gaze, letting her eyes fall to the floor as she started to pout.

"I hate you for being so good at saying no," She grumbled with a half-playful smile on her dark lips. He chuckled softly, coming to stand in front of her with his hands on either of her hips.

"It's part of my job," He teased, leaning in to kiss her again. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling herself even closer. They parted, their eyes locking in a loving gaze.

"When are we going to tell the others?" She asked, running her fingers through the hair at the back of his neck.

"That's completely up to you," He replied, his eyes holding affection. She sighed, resting her head on his shoulder. He held her, almost cradling, and kissed the top of her head lightly.

"You should probably get back upstairs," She muttered, pulling free as she turned back to her computer.

"Love you, Abs," He stated as a goodbye, watching as the blush he so loved found her cheeks as he turned and entered the elevator.

* * *

><p>"Boss," Tony was the first one to greet him as he stepped off, and his mood instantly decreased.<p>

"What, DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked in a gruff voice. He continued to walk right by the agent, going straight for his desk.

"We've got a case," Tony called after him, following close behind.

"Well, why didn't you say so?" He questioned, setting his coffee down on his desk as he grabbed his gun and badge. "Grab your gear," He stated, watching as all his agents snapped to action. Soon, they were all packed in the car as they took off.

* * *

><p>"What am I going to say, Bert?" Abby confided in her stuffed hippo, leaning on her elbows to stare into his eyes. He seemed to want to tell her something, but his chubby lips were inconveniently sewed shut.<p>

"How can I tell them something so big?" She asked, rubbing his head affectionately. His soft eyes no looked apologetic, staring at her with some twisted sort of wisdom.

"Hey, Abs," Tony called, walking into the room as she snapped away from the stuffed animal.

"Hey, Tony," She replied, smiling a bit distantly. She prepared to move to the computer, thinking that he had come about the case. He stopped her, grabbing her wrist and pulling her back.

"How are you holding up?" He asked, concern laced in his features. Abby nodded, although the action was a bit robotic.

"Perfect," She replied, turning towards her computer anyway.

"I happen to know for a fact, that if you're talking to Bert," Tony came closer, concern still written all over him, "You're not as find as you may think."

Abby sighed at his words, realizing they were probably very true. She leaned against her desk, turning her back to the computer and facing him.

"I'm a bit stressed. But you can't tell Gibbs!" She stated urgently, almost pleading with the agent.

"I won't," He promised, jumping as he was suddenly hit on the back of the head.

"Stop getting distracted, DiNozzo," Gibbs scolded, unaware of what their conversation had been, only knowing DiNozzo had not gotten to the case. At his entrance, Abby shot Tony a warning glance. He still had no idea Tony even knew of their relationship, much less about the baby. Tony caught her eye, understanding and staying silent.

"Right, sorry boss," Tony apologized, cringing at the aftermath of the slap.

"Whatcha got for me, Gibbs?" Abby asked in her usual, perky manner. She twirled back to her computer, awaiting Gibbs' orders.

"A murdered marine with a very secret life," Gibbs stated, handing her a folder. She took it, thumbing through it eagerly.

"Right, on it," She smiled, watching as Tony left the room with some side order from Gibbs. Gibbs pulled closer to Abby almost as soon as Tony was out of the room.

"He's going to catch on, Abs," Gibbs stated, wrapping her in his arms as he kissed the base of her neck tenderly. She smiled and giggled lightly.

"I know. Maybe we could have them all over tonight?" She questioned, turning to pull him into a tender embrace as she wrapped her arms around him as well.

"Sounds perfect to me," He hummed, giving her a quick kiss before he left again.

* * *

><p>Abby was a nervous wreck. They'd invited the whole team, the director, Ducky and Palmer to dinner. All of them. <span>All<span> of them.

"Abs, calm down," Gibbs placed his tow larger hands on her shoulders, stilling her nervous actions.

"Easy for you to say, Gibbs," She whined a bit playfully, but also having some truth to her words.

"Come on, go sit down and just relax," Gibbs calmly pushed her towards the couch, getting her to sit down just as the bell rang. She snapped to her feet, getting to the door almost before Gibbs could blink.

"Hello, Abby," Ziva greeted, Tony faithfully by her side as they entered with smiles on their faces. Abby smiled back, her eyes meeting Tony's with a little hint of dread in them. Tony pulled her into a hug, not saying anything, but knowing she got the message.

Ducky and Palmer were close behind, followed shortly by Timmy and the Director. They all started up idle talk, opening wine and spreading smiles. Both Tim and Ziva noticed that Abby politely turned down all drinks, which led Ziva to ask.

"There is obviously a reason for you having this dinner," She stated, watching as Abby's eyes flitted to Gibbs' for a brief second. "So, what is it?"

"Well," Abby started, looking to Gibbs once again. He caught on, knowing she could never say it all on her own.

"We decided it was time we told you," Gibbs said, moving to her side and wrapping his arm around her waist, "We've been together for a little over six months now and –"

"We're having a baby," Abby blurted out, unable to keep it in any longer. Everyone's jaw dropped, save for Tony and a better-composed Director. Abby watched them all, waiting for their responses.

"Congratulations, you two," Ducky finally spoke, walking forward to pull Abby into a hug. Then, they all reacted, a sea of voices congratulating them and asking all sorts of questions. Abby laughed, moving closer to Gibbs as they answered them all – except for a few inappropriate ones from Tony.

"What? I've been dying to ask for the past month, Boss!"

_**Author's Note: As promised, here I am continuing the story. I hope you like it - I haven't written these characters in so long, I feel like I butchered them terribly! Anyway, enjoy and let me know what you think.**_


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